Session 153 - "Forged in History"
General Summary
Hyannis
Imperator's Hall
2.22p
Looking around, it appears that Lytha has a monopoly on the mining resources and supplies in the town, as well as running a protect racket. X notes that all the dwarven thugs do not appear to be miners themselves. Kelath asks pointedly if anyone has actually seen one of the dark riders. She replies that Two-Fingers actually saw two of them as they passed through town. However he had not gotten a good look at their faces, that they had kept them hidden somehow, perhaps even supernaturally. Lytha also tells them that they came through about five days ago. She wouldn't have thought anything about them, but they had been actually asking for someone. When bidden to go on, she says there was is a merchant of old relics that comes through town called Gaster Lucus to see if anything interesting has been pulled out of the mines. The merchant was no longer in town and left before they had arrived, about seven or eight days in total. He usually stays at "Little Lordling's Inn" when in town and was last on his way to Thrushmoor. Kelath takes the sack of coins and then asks about the witch haunting the mines, the Black Aggie. According to legend, some of the locals murdered a women and then put her corpse in the mines. It's her ghost that haunts them now. She is rumored to steal the breath of miners who linger too long underground, but it seems to just personify black lung disease common to miners. X also thinks this is a cover story for hiding slaves that Lytha has working in the mines.2.32p
Kyrrn notes that the Danver River might offer faster passage further south, though Rozenport is one day down the road and Thrushmoor is only another day after that. The party considers whether or not to pursue the slaves or the faceless stalkers here in town. X mentions they may wish to learn more about the assassins that made the attempt on his life. Kelath asks for information about them in exchange for leaving town more quickly. Lytha points in the direction of Sin's Roost, the building that was blown up, explaining that's where she would have started. X offers to look into the situation themselves for a price in an attempt ingratiate them to her. During the conversation, Kyrnn watches Lytha with a critical eye, noticing she isn't dressed flashy, but her clothes are well tailored and expensive. Her hands are uncharacteristically strong and calloused like a fighter's and even carries herself as such. She also seems to be well educated and is used to being in charge, and most likely hails from the Five Kingdoms dwarfs. Laughingly, Lytha agrees to have the Fellowship investigate the Sin's Roost in exchange for more money or resources as long as they don't tarry too long in town, staying no later than sundown. Kyrrn suggests they hole at the Little Lordling's Inn in order to recover and learn more from X. Arriving they are greeted by a large dwarven woman, Andrul Ringold, in chain mail who is obviously quite drunk. X asks to be taken to a private area and they are noisily led to a room in the back. He picks her pocket and then gives it back to her as payment for the room. The room is small, but fairly clean. Kelath orders food and ale all around. Neferu begins healing the party.The Little Lordling's Inn
3.12p
X tells them that the assassins were from the Black Blades guild, out of Port Peril, but in truth he has no idea who they were or why they were targeting him. Kyrrn takes the short bow and object reads it:"A figure materializes out of the darkness and she is instantly in fear for her life. Before her is a beautiful female, who she knows to be a vampire noble, a kind of recognition and awe to the feeling in the vision."
The party supposes the woman could possibly be Drago's sister that Kyrrn overheard from the assassin earlier, however the party knew nothing of this relation.
3.22p
The innkeeper returns and engages the Fellowship in conversation. She says that she was one of the original town founders and that she came over with Svingal, but they had a falling out. She says they were looking for the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, but found only rocks, trolls, and all manner of monstrous things. She regrets that they never did clear out the demon-worshipping gnolls who had been followers of Abraxas. Andrul comments that Gaster is worthless and is always asking about the axe. Kyrrn realizes that it is possible that the axe could actually be in the area. She is able to recall that this powerful artifact of dwarven legend that was created by Albrethiax, a great dwarven chieftain in the Conclave of the Final Deep. but that it is actually hidden deep within Droskar's Craig, a semi-dormant volcano in Darkmoon Vale in the nation of Andoran, the land far to the south. It was stolen at some point during the Five King's War some 3,000 years ago, but then it resurfaced and was found by Theocrate Ordrik. When asked about a local history, Andrul directs them to a young human whipper-snapper, Ahn, who has been seen around town reading books and researching military history. Ahn lives in a little place just a few blocks away.The Home of Ahn
3.42p
The Fellowship makes their way to Ahn's shack who is home at the time. He is a baby-faced man who looks fairly young living in a small open shack, that sparsely decorated with books and a stove. Kelath notices two familiar halflings watching them from down the street. The Fellowship asks Ahn for what information he might know about the mines and they are invited in. X also notices that they are being tailed by Two-Fingers and others, the two parties making no attempt to conceal their awareness of each other. Ahn tells them that has been in town for the last five years. He finds the location and the history of the mines quite fascinating. Kyrrn asks him about the axe and he also believes that it is also to the south. He also tells them of a structure that was built in one of the mines by the same creator of the axe, but it was never actually in this area.